1. Field of the Invention
This invention applies to the field of lighting spotlights capable of being mounted to a rigid surface, such as a ceiling or wall, and being aimable to direct a light beam at an object; and more particularly to rigidly-mounted fiber optic spotlights capable of aiming a light beam.
2. Description of Prior Art
Presently known aimable spotlights normally use a collimating lens with a light source, such as the emitting end of a fiber-optic light guide, at the focus of the lens. The emitted beam is normally on an optical axis from the center of the light source through the optical center of the lens.
Aiming the beam of presently-known prior-art spotlights is usually accomplished by aiming the housing holding the light source and the lens. There are many prior-art methods for aiming a such light beams. The first method is by pivotally mounting the housing on the horizontal axis of a yoke, and then rotating the yoke about a vertical axis, forming an azimuth-elevation, or "AZ-EL" mount, such as is shown in the Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,292. A second method for aiming a spotlight is by attaching it to a movable or flexible arm, known as a "goose-neck" mount, such as is shown in the Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,848. All of the above methods require the entire luminaire to be within the room in which they are mounted. A third method for aiming a light beam is to rigidly mount the housing and provide a mirror on an azimuth-elevation mirror, such as is shown in the Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,125. This is an aesthetic improvement that moves the housing above the ceiling plane, but still requires and element, i.e., the mirror, to hang down from the ceiling. A fourth method makes the housing substantially spherical, fitting it within a spherical ring-shaped support socket, forming what is generally called an "eyeball" mount, such as is shown of U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,067. This approach can substantially recess the housing, but it makes the luminaire about three times the diameter of the actual lens. The primary disadvantages in all the prior-art methods for aiming light fixture beams is that they are generally complex, expensive and unattractive.